Buzz Links: What ‘Weeds’ and ‘Secret Diary of a Call Girl’ Reviews Say

Showtime has a thing for women behaving badly. The cable network kicks off its summer programming slate tonight with back-to-back premieres of the dark comedies “Weeds” and “Secret Diary of a Call Girl.”

“Weeds” begins its fourth season with Mary-Louise Parker’s Nancy Botwin and family moving in with her cantankerous father-in-law (Albert Brooks) near the Mexican border. A pot-dealer in addition to suburban mother, Nancy was last seen burning down her own “hot” house to avoid detection by the authorities. The show’s shift in direction has mostly energized critics, who have faith in show creator Jenji Kohan.

San Francisco Chronicle: “Just when you think Weeds is going to flame out — like Agrestic — it survives what seems certain catastrophe.” [San Francisco Chronicle]

Los Angeles Times: “Layered with story and character, saturated with drama, humor and no small amount of social commentary, ‘Weeds’ has always been a delectable trifle of a show. [Los Angeles Times]

The Oregonian: “‘Weeds’… sees far beyond its drugs-in-the-suburbs conceit, to ponder all manner of social and family disconnections.” [The Oregonian]

Chicago Tribune: “Though it’s not a bad idea to shake up a show heading into its fourth year, the first few episodes of the new season feel joyless and off. The humor isn’t as sprightly and cutting; it’s more cruel.” [Chicago Tribune]

Critics are equally divided on “Secret Diary of a Call Girl,” which was imported from the U.K. and is itself, based on an anonymous blog by former call girl known only as Belle de Jour. The 8-episode series stars Billie Piper (“Doctor Who”) as Hannah, a twentysomething Londoner who unapologetically moonlights as a lady of the night. While Ms. Piper has drawn praise for her performance, the show itself has been chastised for being surprisingly dull, given its subject matter.

Salon: “Like most clever, sleazy things, “Secret Diary of a Call Girl” is addictive… you may find yourself rolling your eyes and scoffing at the sugarcoated, loving, lighthearted encounters with paying customers and the repeated assertions by Hannah that her job is just one big lucrative blast, but you’ll still want to catch the next episode.” [Salon]

Los Angeles Times: “When [Belle]‘s not having sex or getting ready to have sex, she tends to lie around moodily, which is boring to watch and leads the viewer to fret about her mental health.” [Los Angeles Times]

New York Times: “The show’s overall tone is sassy and irreverent, but Belle’s adventures are mostly banal…” [New York Times]

Detroit Free-Press: “If brisk, eloquent writing, and sharp, ironic humor don’t bother you, ‘Secret Diary of a Call Girl’ is one of the most imaginative and dryly witty grown-up shows to come along in a while.” [Detroit Free-Press]